Twirl Radio Playlist – Show #849 – 11/3/2018

Enjoy this random photo of the Twirl studio, taken a few weeks prior to today’s show.

Today’s show was the perfect storm–or maybe–non-storm. For the first time in a while, I had no interviews or visitors scheduled. You’d have to go back as far as July 21st for the last time this happened. But today also was a day in which I had a chance to really focus on all the great new music that’s come out in 2018–so far. For those of you who are starting to make your year-end lists for 2018–I’d hold up on that. The great music continues to roll in, and there’s still two whole months left of this watershed year.

2018 has been truly astounding for music, in terms of the quantity and quality that’s been released this year. This seems to be the year where artists I love, who’ve been quiet for a while, have put out some fine work. This week’s show debuts some brand new tracks by Dara Ackerman, Vegas With Randolph, Lannie Flowers, Gail George, Michael Simmons, Banjo Bones, Rachel Taylor Brown, and William Duke. Beyond that, there were a total of 23 tracks played that came out in 2018.

There were also a couple of tracks that although released earlier, came my way this year. The most extreme, time machine example of that was “In Quintessence”, by Squeeze, released on their landmark 1981 album East Side Story. I’d recently mentioned to my good friend, writer/ podcaster/ radio host/ video blogger Stephen “SPAZ” Schnee, that I’d never heard that fine album all the way through, only several of the songs from it. Being that it’s one of his all time favorite albums, he bought me a copy, simply because he wanted to share the experience. Not only is the album one of the greats from its era, cementing Squeeze’s reputation, that leadoff track really grabbed my ear. The thing that really stood out is how Glenn Tilbrook’s and Chris Difford’s voices, singing the same line and melody, but in different registers, locked in tightly to create that familiar soaring but buzzy vocal line that they are noted for. Tasty, retro treat of the week!

So enjoy this thick slice of the latest in indie music. It’s all good, and it’s all current.